Improvement in roofing and flooring



iiilititrxlfitters 33mm Gtfljiire.

PATRICK 1y. .MACKAY, 0F VIRGINIA CITY, NEVADA.

Letters Patent 1v Q 100,167, dated February 22,1870;

IMPROVEMENT IN ROOFING- AND FLOORING.

The'Schedu1e reterred to in these Letters fiatent and making part of the same.

the preparation of the same."

My invention consisysin using fire-ciay, first by itself aml afterward in combination with-asphaltmn or anv other mineral tar orpitcln'with a certain proportion of peroxide of manganese.

The fiillowingis theprpcess or manuthcturing and. applying the materials:

First, the.fire-claymust'be reduced to powder by grinding, then kneaded with water to a past-y or plastic consistency, 'lo two-thirds or three-quarters of this plastic mass must be added one-third or onequarter of ground tire-clay, burnt or dried in a kiln,

in order to counteract too great a contraction of the mass. The fire-clay being now ready, it is laid on the floor or roof,so as'to give thickness of one inch when dry. The fioor. may be of boards, or shits of wood, or iron. Whelrthe tire-clay is 'properly dry it presents the appearance of an unburnt tire-clay tile, one inch thick,\ot' the dimension of the floor or roof.

Second, as soon as the fire-clay floor or root is perfectly dry, I cover the same with acoi'nposition of tire- I clay and asphaltum or mineral tar or pitch and peroxide ot' manganese, otthe thickness of one-half inch, inade in the following manner:

Third, the tire-clay must be'ground to a powder, which eanbe done in a common pug-mill, and theronghly burnt or kiln-dried, so as to expel the water of combination. In this dry state it is ready for use.

Fourth, the asphaltum or mineral tar ought to be analyzed previous to use, in order to ascertain the amount of sand or other impurities which it contains, for the purity of the asphaltum or pitch determinesthe quantity required:v

Fifth, the peroxide of manganese is used in the propultion ofabout two and one-half" per cent. of the weight of the usphaltum employed in the combination. When the manganese is applied at the proper moment it liqneiies the asphaltum and facilitates the incorporation ofthe prepared and dricd'fire-clay..

, um arethrown in,=and the contents used is 'then introduced. stirred, at the same time sitting in the powdered and mogeneous mass.

ladlcd out upon the previously-preparcd foundation ot Sixth, to makethe combination of the asphalt, mi eral tar, and lire-clay, put into a cast or wrought-iron vessel the proper proportion of asphalt broken into small pieces, say twenty-five to thirty parts of asphalt,

mineral tar, or pitch, to seventy or seventy-tire pounds of burnt and pulverized tire-clay which has been pre- \ionsly deprived of its water of combination. It the asphalt isifree from impurities, such as sand, &c., this manner of combination is employed; but-it it contains impurities, some mineral tar or pitch must first be melted in the vessel, then the broken piecesot'asphaltboiled until liquid. 4 Peroxide of manganese in the, proportion of two to two and a" half percent. of thewei'ght ot' asphaltum The whole mass is well burnt lire-clay, and stirring the mixture quickly and thoroughly until the whole is incorporated into a ho- \Vhile hot it must be poured or tire-clay. It is then spread to'thg thickness ot hall an inch, and hot smoothing-irons run bacluvard and forward to give it a smooth surface and the desired thickness.

Suitable iron bars may be placed on one side of the melted mixture, in order to gauge the proper thickness.

When perfectly cool the mixture hardens, and is proof against tire, water, or acids of any kind, and protects the floor or house against rats, &c.

For root's, it must be laid with a pitch of one inch to the yard, so that rain or water can flow otf, but it is so impervious to water that the latter may be allowed to remain upon it for years if necessary.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat.

cut, is-

A- flooring and roofing compound similar to that herein described, when composed of the ingredients above enumerated, mixed and coinpoiinded in about the manneiwand proportions..dcscribed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

PATRICK N. MACKAY. u s] \Vitnesses Gnome Smunmso, WM. Gunmen. 

